Liquid crystal display device

ABSTRACT

In a first substrate, a first organic insulating film is arranged in an active area, and includes a first surface and a first concave portion in a peripheral area outside the active area. The first concave portion is located more close to a substrate end side than the first surface. In a second substrate, a shield layer is arranged in the peripheral area facing the first substrate. A second organic insulating film includes a second surface facing the first surface and a second concave portion facing the first concave portion. The second organic insulating film overlaps the shield layer in the peripheral area. A pillar-shaped spacer is arranged between the first surface and the second surface in the peripheral area. A seal material contains the pillar-shaped spacer and is arranged between the first surface and the second surface, and between the first concave portion and the second concave portion.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.13/960,102 filed Aug. 6, 2013, and based upon and claims the benefit ofpriority from prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2012-185055 filedAug. 24, 2012, the entire contents of each of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

FIELD

Embodiments described herein relate generally to a liquid crystaldisplay device.

BACKGROUND

A liquid crystal display device is used in various fields of OAequipments such as a personal computer and a television set, takingadvantage of the features such as light weight, thin shape, and lowpower consumption. In recent years, the liquid crystal display device isused also as displays for a portable remote terminal such as a cellularphone and PDA (personal digital assistant), a car navigation equipment,and a game machine.

In the liquid crystal display device, it is important to form a uniformcell gap, i.e., a uniform thickness of the liquid crystal layer heldbetween a pair of substrates in an active area displaying images. Inrecent years, while selectively arranging pillar-shaped spacers on onesubstrate as a spacer for forming the cell gap, technology to form thespacer with sufficient accuracy in height is established, and theuniform cell gap is attained.

There is One Drop Fill (ODF) method as one of the technology formanufacturing the liquid crystal display device. According to the ODFmethod, an array substrate and a counter substrate are pasted togetherin a vacuum state after dropping liquid crystal materials in a regionsurrounded with a seal material on the array substrate or the countersubstrate. In this method, the pair of substrates is pressed by adifference in the pressure between an inner region surrounded with theseal material and outside by returning to an atmospheric pressure statefrom the vacuum state, and the seal material is crushed. Thereby, apredetermined cell gap is formed. As the seal material applied to theOne Drop Fill ODF method, ultraviolet curing type adhesives are usedwidely. However, since viscosity is high, the system which draws theseal material using a dispenser is adopted not by a printing method. Theabove ODF method has advantages, such as improvement in shortening oftact time, and efficient use of the material.

In recent years, in order to improve response characteristic, alignmentcharacteristic, viewing angle characteristic, etc., of the liquidcrystal display device, there is a tendency which narrows the cell gap.Moreover, request for reducing the external form size of the liquidcrystal display device is increasing, and there is a tendency for thewidth of the seal material to become narrow according to the narrowframe. Such formation of the narrow cell gap and narrow frame results inreduction in the amount of application of the seal material.

The low amount application of the seal material is achieved by adjustingthe pressure for extruding the seal material and the speed for drawingthe seal material, etc. However, variation in the applied amount of theseal material is generated depending on the stability (circumferencetemperature) of the viscosity of the seal material because high velocitymaterial is used. Furthermore, a defect such as a pattern cut is easilyresulted in the process of the drawing due to a filler contained in theseal material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute aportion of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention,and together with the general description given above and the detaileddescription of the embodiments given below, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a view schematically showing a structure of a liquid crystaldisplay panel and its equivalent circuit according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure ofthe liquid crystal display panel including a switching element in onepixel shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure in aperipheral area according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure inthe peripheral area according to a comparative example.

FIG. 5 is a view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure inthe peripheral area according to a second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A liquid crystal display device according to an exemplary embodiment ofthe present invention will now be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings wherein the same or like reference numeralsdesignate the same or corresponding portions throughout the severalviews.

According to one embodiment, a liquid crystal display device includes: afirst substrate including; a switching element arranged in an activearea displaying images, a first organic insulating film arranged on theswitching element in the active area, and including a first surface anda first concave portion in a peripheral area outside the active area,the first concave portion located more closing on a substrate end sidethan the first surface, and a pixel electrode electrically connectedwith the switching element in the active area, a second substrateincluding; a shield layer arranged in the peripheral area facing thefirst substrate, and a second organic insulating film including a secondsurface facing the first surface and a second concave portion facing thefirst concave portion, the second organic insulating film overlappingthe shield layer in the peripheral area, a pillar-shaped spacer arrangedbetween the first surface and the second surface in the peripheral area;a seal material for pasting the first substrate and the secondsubstrate, containing the pillar-shaped spacer and arranged between thefirst surface and the second surface, and between the first concaveportion and the second concave portion; and a liquid crystal layer heldbetween the first substrate and the second substrate in the insidesurrounded with the seal material.

FIG. 1 is a view schematically showing a structure of a liquid crystaldisplay panel and its equivalent circuit according to one embodiment.

The liquid crystal display device includes an active-matrix type liquidcrystal display panel LPN. The liquid crystal display panel LPN isequipped with an array substrate AR as a first substrate, a countersubstrates CT as a second substrate arranged opposing the arraysubstrate AR, and a liquid crystal layer LQ held between the arraysubstrate AR and the counter substrate CT. The array substrate AR andthe counter substrate CT are pasted, for example, by a seal element SEwithout being disconnected in the shape of a closed loop. That is, theseal element is formed in a frame of a rectangular shape.

The liquid crystal display panel LPN includes an active area ACT fordisplaying images surrounded with the seal material SE. The sealmaterial SE is arranged in a peripheral area outside of the active areaACT. The active area ACT is constituted by a plurality of pixels PXarranged in the shape of a (m×n) matrix (here, “m” and “n” are positiveintegers).

The array substrate AR includes a plurality of gate lines G (G1-Gn) andauxiliary capacitance lines C (C1-Cn) extending along a first directionX in the active area ACT, respectively, a plurality of source lines S(S1-Sm) extending along a second direction Y that orthogonally crossesin the first direction X, respectively, a switching element SW connectedwith the gate line G and the source line S in each pixel PX, a pixelelectrode PE electrically connected with the switching element SW ineach pixel PX. The pixel electrode PE is formed in the shape of anisland in each pixel PX.

The counter substrate CT includes a common electrode CE facing the pixelelectrode PE each other through a liquid crystal layer LQ in each pixelPX. The common electrode CE is formed in common over the plurality ofpixels PX.

Each gate line G is pulled out to outside of the active area ACT andconnected to a gate driver GD. Each source line S is pulled out to theoutside of the active area ACT and connected to a source driver SD. Atleast a portion of the gate driver GD and the source driver SD is formedin the array substrate AR, for example, and the gate driver GD and thesource driver SD are connected with a driver IC chip 2 provided in thearray substrate AR and having an implemented controller. In theillustrated example, the drive IC chip 2 as a signal source required todrive the liquid crystal display panel LPN is mounted on the arraysubstrate AR outside of the active area ACT of the liquid crystaldisplay panel LPN. An auxiliary capacitance voltage is supplied to eachauxiliary capacitance line from the driver IC chip 2. A common voltageis impressed to the common electrode CE from the driver IC chip 2.

The liquid crystal display panel LPN according to the embodiment isconstituted so that modes mainly using a vertical mode such as a TN(Twisted Nematic) mode, an OCB (Optically Compensated Bend) mode, and aVA (Vertical Aligned) mode are applied. However, modes mainly usinglateral electric field such as IPS (In-Plane Switching) mode and FFS(Fringe Field Switching) mode may be applied. In the liquid crystaldisplay panel LPN using the lateral electric field, the array substrateAR is equipped with both of the pixel electrode PE and the commonelectrode CE.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the structure ofthe liquid crystal display panel LPN shown in FIG. 1 including aswitching element in one pixel PX. Here, the cross-sectional view of thestructure of the liquid crystal display panel LPN in the mode using thevertical electric field is explained as one example.

The array substrate AR is formed using a first insulating substrate 10formed of a glass substrate, a plastic substrate, etc., which havetransmissive characteristics. The array substrate AR includes theswitching element SW, the pixel electrode PE, a first insulating film11, a second insulating film 12, a third insulating film 13, and a firstalignment film AL1, a pillar shaped spacer SP, etc., on the firstinsulating substrate 10 facing the counter substrate CT.

The switching element SW shown here is a thin film transistor (TFT), forexample. Although the switching element SW may be either of a top-gatedtype or a bottom gated-type, the top-gated type is used in thisembodiment. The switching element SW is equipped with a semiconductorlayer SC arranged on the first insulating substrate 10. Though thesemiconductor layer SC may be formed with poly-silicon, amorphoussilicon, oxide semiconductor, etc., the poly-silicon is used in thisembodiment. In addition, an undercoat layer formed of an insulating filmmay be arranged between the first insulating substrate 10 and thesemiconductor layer SC. The semiconductor layer SC is covered with thefirst insulating film 11. Moreover, the first insulating film 11 isarranged also on the first insulating substrate 10.

A gate electrode WG of the switching element SW is formed on the firstinsulating film 11 and located right above the semiconductor layer SC.The gate electrode WG is electrically connected with the gate line G orintegrally formed. The gate line G including the gate electrode WG iscovered with the second insulating film 12. Moreover, the secondinsulating film 12 is arranged also on the first insulating film 11. Thefirst insulating films 11 and the second insulating film 12 are formedof inorganic system materials, such as a silicon oxide (SiOx), forexample.

A source electrode WS and a drain electrode WD of the switching elementSW are formed on the second insulating film 12. The source electrode WSis electrically connected with the source line S or integrally formedwith the source line S. The drain electrode WD is arranged apart fromthe source line S. The source electrode WS and the drain electrode WDare in contact with the semiconductor layer SC through a contact holewhich penetrates the first insulating film 11 and the second insulatingfilm 12, respectively. The source line S including the source electrodeWS and the drain electrode WD are covered with the third insulating film13. The third insulating film 13 is arranged on the switching elementSW. The third insulating film 13 is arranged also on the secondinsulating film 12. A contact hole CH which penetrates to the drainelectrode WD is formed in the third insulating film 13. The thirdinsulating film 13 corresponds to a first organic insulating film formedof resin material, for example. The first insulating film 11, the secondinsulating film 12, and the third insulating film 13 extend to theperipheral area not only in the active area.

The pixel electrode PE is formed on the third insulating film 13. Inthis embodiment, the pixel electrode PE is formed on a first surface 13Aof the third insulating film 13, and in contact with the drain electrodeWD through the contact hole CH. The pixel electrode PE is formed oftransparent electric conductive materials, such as Indium Tin oxide(ITO) and Indium Zinc Oxide (IZO), for example. The pixel electrode PEis covered with the first alignment film AL1.

The pillar-shaped spacer SP is formed on the third insulating film 13,and covered with the first alignment film AL1. The pillar-shaped spacerSP is formed of, for example, resin material.

On the other hand, the counter substrate CT is formed using a secondinsulating substrate 30 such as a glass substrate, a plastic substrate,etc., which has transmissive characteristics. The counter substrate CTincludes a shield layer 31, a color filter 32, an overcoat layer 33, acommon electrode CE and a second alignment film AL2, etc., on the secondinsulating substrate 30 facing the array substrate AR.

The shield 31 defines each pixel PX in the active area ACT, forms anaperture portion AP, and counters wiring portions such as the gate lineG, the source line S, and the switching element SW formed in the arraysubstrate AR.

The color filter 32 is formed in the aperture portion AP, and a portionthereof runs on the black matrix 31. The colors of the color filters 32arranged in the adjoining pixels PX in the first direction X differmutually. For example, the color filters 32 are formed of resinmaterials colored by three primary colors of red, blue, and green,respectively. The red color filter formed of resin material colored inred is arranged corresponding to the red pixel. The blue color filterformed of resin material colored in blue is arranged corresponding tothe blue pixel. The green color filter formed of resin material coloredin green is arranged corresponding to the green pixel. The boundarybetween the adjoining color filters 32 is located in a position whichoverlaps with the black matrix 31.

The overcoat layer 33 covers the color filter 32. The overcoat layer 33eases influence by unevenness of the shield layer 31 and the surface ofthe color filter 32. For example, the overcoat layer 33 is formed of atransparent resin. At least one of the color filters 32, for example,the blue color filter extends not only in the active area but to theperipheral area.

The common electrode CE is formed on the overcoat layer 33 facing thearray substrate AR. The common electrode CE is formed of transparentelectric conductive material, for example, ITO, IZO, etc. The commonelectrode CE is covered with the second alignment film AL2.

The array substrate AR and the counter substrate CT as mentioned aboveare arranged so that respective first alignment film AL1 and secondalignment film AL2 face each other. At this time, a predetermined cellgap is integrally formed with the pillar-shaped spacer arranged betweenthe array substrate AR and the counter substrate CT. The array substrateAR and the counter substrate CT are pasted together by seal material soas to form the cell gap. The liquid crystal layer LQ is constituted byliquid crystal composite containing liquid crystal molecules enclosed inthe cell gap formed between the first alignment film AL1 on the arraysubstrate AR, and the second alignment film AL2 on the counter substrateCT.

A first optical element OD1 having a first polarization plate PL1 isarranged on the external surface 10B of the array substrate AR, i.e.,the external surface of the first insulating substrate 10. Moreover, asecond optical element OD2 having a second polarization plate PL2 isarranged on the external surface 30B of the counter substrate CT, i.e.,an external surface of the second insulating substrate 30.

A backlight BL is arranged on the back side of the array substrate AR inthe illustrated liquid crystal display panel LPN. Various types ofbacklights BL can be used. For example, a light emitting diode (LED) anda cold cathode fluorescent lamp (CCFL), etc., can be applied as a lightsource of the backlight BL, and the explanation about its detailedstructure is omitted.

FIG. 3 is a view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure inthe peripheral area according to the embodiment.

In the array substrate AR, the first insulating film 11, the secondinsulating film 12, and the third insulating film 13 are arranged alsoin the peripheral area PRA. Although not illustrated, the firstinsulating film 11 and the second insulating film 12 extend up to theend of the first insulating substrate 10.

The third insulating film 13 is arranged on the second insulating film12 in the peripheral area PRA, and includes a first substantially flatsurface 13A. Moreover, the third insulating film 13 includes a firstconcave portion 13B depressed from the first surface 13A. The firstconcave portion 13B is located outside the first surface 13A, i.e., onthe substrate end side.

In this embodiment, the first concave portion 13B penetrates to thesecond insulating film 12. That is, the second insulating film 12located in the peripheral area PRA is exposed from the third insulatingfilm 13 in the first concave portion 13B. In addition, the first concaveportion 13B may be formed in the shape of a continuous slot in a normaldirection of this paper or may be formed partially. The third insulatingfilm 13 forms a step between the first surface 13A and the first concaveportion 13B in the peripheral area PRA.

In the counter substrate CT, the shield layer 31, the color filter 32,and the overcoat layer 33 are arranged in the peripheral area PRA.Although not illustrated, the shield layer 31 extends up to thesubstrate end of the second insulating substrate 30. The color filter 32and the overcoat layer 33 correspond to a second organic insulating filmwhich overlaps with the shield layer 31 in the peripheral area PRA, andincludes a second surface 33A facing the first surface 13A, and a secondconcave portion 33B facing the first concave portion 13B.

In this embodiment, the color filter 32 overlaps with the shield layer31 in a position facing the first surface 13A in the peripheral areaPRA, and includes a substantially flat surface 32A. Moreover, the colorfilter 32 exposes the shield layer 31 in a position facing the firstconcave portion 13B. That is, the color filter 32 includes a concaveportion 32B penetrating to the shield layer 31 in a position which facesthe first concave portion 13B. The step between the surface 32A and theconcave portion 32B corresponds to the film thickness (for example, 1-3μm) of the color filter 32. Although the color filter 32 arranged in theperipheral area PRA is formed of resin material colored in blue, forexample, the color filter 32 may be formed of the resin material coloredin other colors.

The overcoat layer 33 covers the color filter 32, and moreover, coversthe shield layer 31 exposed from the color filter 32. That is, theovercoat layer 33 overlaps with the surface 32A of the color filter 32in a position facing the first surface 13A. Furthermore, the overcoatlayer 33 extends to the concave portion 32B of the color filter 32 andoverlaps with the shield layer 31. Thereby, the overcoat layer 33 formsa second substantially flat surface 33A in a position facing the firstsurface 13A. Furthermore, the overcoat layer 33 forms a second concaveportion 33B in a position facing the first concave portion 13B depressedfrom the second surface 33A. The step between the second surface 33A andthe second concave portion 33B is formed according to the step of thecolor filter 32.

The pillar-shaped spacer SP is arranged not only in the above-mentionedactive area but in the peripheral area PRA. That is, in the peripheralarea PRA, the pillar-shaped spacer SP is arranged between the firstsurface 13A and the second surface 33A. When forming the pillar-shapedspacer SP in the array substrate AR, the pillar-shaped spacer SP isarranged on the first surface 13A of the third insulating film 13, andformed in the shape of a taper which becomes thinner toward the countersubstrate CT. The shield layer 31, the color filter 32, and the overcoatlayer 33 are laminated above the pillar-shaped spacer SP.

In this embodiment, the pillar-shaped spacer SP contacts the secondsurface 33A, and supports the counter substrate CT. At this time, afirst cell gap GP1 is formed between the first surface 13A and thesecond surface 33A, and a second cell gap GP2 larger than the first cellgap GP1 is formed between the first concave portion 13B and the secondconcave portion 33B. That is, a region having the larger second cell gapGP2 is formed in the outside of the region in which the first cell gapGP1 is formed. In addition, the first cell gap GP1 is formed over thearea (including the active area) in which the liquid crystal layer LQ isheld.

The seal material SE contains the pillar-shaped spacer SP, and isarranged between the first surface 13A and the second surface 33A andbetween the first concave portion 13B and the second concave portion33B. The seal material SE pastes the array substrate AR and the countersubstrate CT together. That is, the seal material SE is arranged betweenthe substrates with the comparatively small first cell gap GP1 on theliquid crystal layer LQ side, and arranged between the substrates withthe comparatively large second cell gap GP2 on the substrate end side.

In addition, when the seal material SE contains a filler such as asilica (SiO2) other than adhesives, the filler and adhesives may invadebetween the pillar-shaped spacer SP and the second surface 33A. That is,the pillar-shaped spacer SP is not necessarily in contact with thesecond surface 33A.

In the region of the peripheral area PRA to which the seal material SEis applied according to this embodiment, the array substrate AR includesthe first surface 13A and the first concave portion 13B, and the countersubstrate CT includes the second surface 33A facing the first surface13A and the second concave portion 33B facing the first concave portion13B. The pillar-shaped spacer SP is arranged between the first surface13A and the second surface 33A, and forms the cell gap substantiallyequal to that in the active area ACT. On the other hand, the sealmaterial SE is arranged, respectively, between the first surface 13A andthe second surface 33A, and between the first concave portion 13B andthe second concave portion 33B. For this reason, it becomes possible toexpand the cross-section area of the region in which the seal materialSE is applied as compared with the structure in which the first concaveportion 13B and the second concave portion 33B are not formed.Therefore, it becomes possible to increase the applied amount of theseal material SE, while satisfying the demand for the formation of thenarrow cell gap and the narrow frame. Thereby, the amount of the appliedseal material SE is stable, and it becomes possible to control suchdefect as a pattern cut. For this reason, it becomes possible to controlthe decrease in the manufacturing yield.

Moreover, since the seal the material SE contacts the step between thefirst surface 13A and the first concave portion 13B, and the stepbetween the second surface 33A and the second concave portion 33B, itbecomes possible to expand both of the contact areas between the sealmaterial SE and the array substrate AR, and between the seal material SEand the counter substrate CT. Therefore, it becomes possible to raisethe strength which pastes the array substrate AR and the countersubstrate CT together with increase in the applied amount of the sealmaterial SE, and the expansion of the contact area of the seal materialSE.

Moreover, the first concave portion 13B and the second concave portion33B are located outside the first surface 13A and the second surface33A, i.e., on the opposite side to the region in which the liquidcrystal layer, LQ is held. For this reason, when the array substrate ARand the counter substrate CT are pasted together after applying the sealmaterial SE, spread of the seal material SE on the substrate end sidecan be controlled, and narrow frame is obtained. Moreover, when aplurality of liquid crystal display panels is cut down from alarge-sized mother substrate, it becomes possible to control protrusioninto cutting lines and also to suppress the generation of wrong cutting.

Next, the effect according to this embodiment is explained referring toa comparative example. FIG. 4 is a view schematically showing across-sectional structure in the peripheral area according to acomparative example.

In this comparative example, while the array substrate AR includes thefirst concave portion 13A, the counter substrate CT does not include thesecond concave portion facing the first concave portion 13B. In thecomparative example, the cross-sectional area of the region where theseal material SE is applied is 2000 μm², for example.

On the other hand, according to this embodiment, the counter substrateCT includes the second concave portion 33B. Here, an example of the sizeof the second concave portion 33B is described. For example, the stepbetween the second surface 33A and the second concave portion 33B is 1.5μm, and the applied cross-sectional area of the seal material SE becomes2400 μm². For this reason, according to this embodiment, the appliedamount of the seal material SE was able to increase by approximately 20%comparing to the comparative example. In this embodiment, the patterncutting of the seal material SE was not generated.

FIG. 5 is a view schematically showing a cross-sectional structure inthe peripheral area according to a second embodiment.

This second embodiment shown here is different from the first embodimentshown in FIG. 3 in that the counter substrate CT includes a thirdconcave portion 33C facing the organic insulating film 13 in an innerregion surrounded with the seal material SE in the peripheral area PRA.

That is, the color filter 32 includes the substantially flat surface32A, the concave portion 32B facing the first concave portion 13B and aconcave portion 32C facing the first surface 13A in the countersubstrate CT of the peripheral area PRA. That is, while the color filter32 is formed in the position which overlaps with the pillar-shapedspacer SP in the peripheral area PRA, the color filter 32 includes theconcave portion 32B and the concave portion 32C in the both sidessandwiching the pillar-shaped spacer SP, respectively. The concaveportion 32B and the third concave portion 32C penetrate to the shieldlayer 31.

The overcoat layer 33 covers the color filter 32, and moreover, coversthe shield layer 31 exposed from the color filter 32. That is, theovercoat layer 33 overlaps with the surface 32A of the color filter 32in a position facing the first surface 13A, and extends to the concaveportion 32B of the color filter 32 so as to overlap with the shieldlayer 31 in a position facing the first concave portion 13B. Moreover,the overcoat layer 33 extends to the concave portion 32C of the colorfilter 32 and overlaps with the shield layer 31 in a position facing thefirst surface 13A. Thereby, the overcoat layer 33 forms thesubstantially flat second surface 33A in a position facing the firstsurface 13A. Moreover, the overcoat layer 33 forms the second concaveportion 33B depressed from the second surface 33A in a position facingthe first concave portion 13B. Similarly, the overcoat layer 33 forms athird concave portion 33C depressed from the second surface 33A in aposition facing the first surface 13A.

The pillar-shaped spacer SP is arranged between the first surface 13Aand the second surface 33A. At this time, the first cell gap GP1 isformed between the first surface 13A and the second surface 33A, thesecond cell gap GP2 larger than the first cell gap GP1 is formed betweenthe first concave portion 13B and the second concave portion 33B, andthe third cell gap GP3 larger than the first cell gap GP1 and smallerthan the second cell gap GP2 is formed between the first surface 13A andthe third concave portion 33C.

The seal material SE includes the pillar-shaped spacer SP, and isarranged between the first surface 13A and the second surface 33A, andbetween the first concave portion 13B and the second concave portion33B. The liquid crystal layer LQ is held on the inner side surroundedwith the seal material SE.

Also in the second embodiment, the same effect as the first embodimentshown in FIG. 3 is obtained.

In addition, the third concave portion 33C is formed inside the sealmaterial SE by which the liquid crystal layer LQ is held in theperipheral area PRA which does not contribute to an image display. Theregion with the third cell gap GP3 larger than the first cell gap GP1 isformed. Accordingly, even if air bubbles are generated in the liquidcrystal layer LQ, it becomes possible to collect the air bubbles in thethird concave portion 33C. When the ODF method is especially applied asa manufacturing method of the liquid crystal display panel LPN, if thedropped amount of the liquid crystal material is scant, it is easy togenerate the air bubbles (low-temperature air bubbles) in the liquidcrystal layer LQ due to a shock applied from the exterior. It is notpermitted that such air bubbles exist in the active area ACT because theair bubbles cause the decrease in the manufacturing yield. However, itbecomes possible to control the decrease in the manufacturing yield bycollecting the air bubbles in the third concave portion 33C that doesnot contribute to the display. Moreover, when the ODF method is applied,even if the dropped amount of the liquid crystal materials issuperfluous, it becomes possible to accommodate the surplus of theliquid crystal materials in the region in which the third cell gap GP3is formed, and to control the variation in the cell gap in the activearea resulting from the variation in the dropped amount. Accordingly, itbecomes possible to control generation of degradation of the displaygrace.

As explained above, according to the embodiments, the liquid crystaldisplay device which can control the fall of the manufacturing yield canbe supplied.

In the above embodiment, the seal material is arranged on one substratewithout break so as to surround the active area, and the pair ofsubstrates is pasted after the liquid crystal materials were dropped bythe ODF method. However, the structures are not restricted to the aboveembodiments. For example, while the seal material with injecting holesis arranged so as to surround the active area, the pair of substratesmay be pasted together using a vacuum injecting method.

While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments havebeen presented by way of embodiment only, and are not intended to limitthe scope of the inventions. In practice, the structural elements can bemodified without departing from the spirit of the invention. Variousembodiments can be made by properly combining the structural elementsdisclosed in the embodiments. For embodiment, some structural elementsmay be omitted from all the structural elements disclosed in theembodiments. Furthermore, the structural elements in differentembodiments may properly be combined. The accompanying claims and theirequivalents are intended to cover such forms or modifications as wouldfall within the scope and spirit of the inventions.

What is claimed is:
 1. A liquid crystal display device, comprising: afirst substrate including: an insulating substrate, a switching elementarranged in an active area displaying images, a first organic insulatingfilm arranged on the switching element in the active area, and includinga first edge in a peripheral area outside the active area, the firstedge located between a first substrate end portion and the active area,a pixel electrode electrically connected with the switching element inthe active area, and an inorganic insulating film overlapping the firstorganic insulating film so as to extend from the active area to theperipheral area; a second substrate including: a color filter layerincluding a second edge in the peripheral area, the second edge locatedbetween a second substrate end portion and the active area, and a secondorganic insulating film overlapping the color filter layer so as toextend from the active area to the peripheral area; a seal material forpasting the first substrate and the second substrate; and a liquidcrystal layer held between the first substrate and the second substratein the inside surrounded with the seal material, wherein the inorganicinsulating film extends from the active area to the first substrate endportion beyond the first edge, the second organic insulating filmextends from the active area to the second substrate end portion beyondthe second edge, in a first area, the first organic insulating filmoverlapping the inorganic insulating film is opposed to the secondorganic insulating film overlapping the color filter layer, in a secondarea, the inorganic insulating film is opposed to the second organicinsulating film, the second area is located to outside of the firstedge, and a first gap between the inorganic insulating film and thesecond organic insulating film in the first area is smaller than asecond gap between the inorganic insulating film and the second organicinsulating film in the second area.
 2. The liquid crystal display deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the second area does not include the colorfilter layer and the first organic insulating film.
 3. The liquidcrystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the first edge islocated closer to a substrate end side than the second edge.
 4. Theliquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the sealmaterial includes a third edge located in the first area and a fourthedge located in the second area.
 5. The liquid crystal display deviceaccording to claim 4, wherein the first and second substrate endportions do not overlap the fourth edge of the seal material.
 6. Theliquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the firstedge forms a sidewall of the first organic insulating film, and the sealmaterial is located above the sidewall.
 7. The liquid crystal displaydevice according to claim 1, further comprising a spacer formed in thefirst area, the spacer covered with the seal material.
 8. The liquidcrystal display device according to claim 1, wherein the inorganicinsulating film is located below the first organic insulating film. 9.The liquid crystal display device according to claim 1, wherein thesecond organic insulating film is located on a liquid crystal layer sideof the color filter layer, and covers the color filter layer includingthe second edge.
 10. The liquid crystal display device according toclaim 7, wherein the spacer is located above the first organicinsulating film.
 11. The liquid crystal display device according toclaim 1, wherein the inorganic insulating film is located on the firstorganic insulating film, and covers the first organic insulating filmincluding the first edge.
 12. The liquid crystal display deviceaccording to claim 4, wherein the second organic insulating filmcomprises a concave portion in a third area, the third area being closerto the active area than the third edge of the seal material.
 13. Theliquid crystal display device according to claim 12, wherein the colorfilter layer is not formed at a position overlapping the concaveportion.
 14. The liquid crystal display device according to claim 12,wherein in the third area, the second organic insulating film is opposedto the first organic insulating film overlapping the inorganicinsulating film.
 15. The liquid crystal display device according toclaim 12, wherein in the third area, a third gap between the inorganicinsulating film and the second organic insulating film is substantiallysame as the first gap.